Escaping From Quixotic Cultural Expectations: The Consequences of Failing to Live Up To Honor-Culture Ideals

Abstract

Past research showed the heightened suicide and depression rates in the U.S. culture of honor regions compared to non-honor regions. The present research investigated the psychological processes by which men in honor cultures might reach suicidal inclinations by applying the framework of self-discrepancy theories and the escape theory of suicide. Study 1 showed that participants who strongly endorsed honor ideology but believed they did not live up to such ideals (i.e., those who experienced a gap between the cultural ideals and their current selves) showed a heightened sense of burdensomeness – one of the most powerful predictors of suicidality. Study 2 manipulated the salience of this gap by priming the honor ideals while inducing a state of heightened self-awareness. Those who were reminded of the honor standards and strongly endorsed such standards showed a modest tendency toward heightened suicide-related thought activation when they were forced to compare themselves to the standards via the self-awareness manipulation.